This application generally describes a system and method for detecting a moment of impact and/or a strength of swing based on accelerometer data. The system and method may be applied by way of example without limitation in the context of a game system in which a player can use a controller provided with an accelerometer arrangement to simulate the striking of an object so as to play percussion instruments such as drums, cymbals, timpanis, tam-tams and the like. The system and method is however not limited to the simulated playing of musical instruments and can be readily applied to simulated sword-fighting, boxing and a wide variety of other applications.
User inputs to computer systems may be supplied in various ways. For example, when the computer system is a video game console, inputs are typically supplied using cross-switches, joysticks, buttons and the like provided on a controller. A cross-switch or a joystick may be used to control movement of a video game object in various directions and various buttons may be used to control character actions such as jumping, using a weapon and the like.
The controller described in this patent application additionally or alternatively includes an accelerometer arrangement that generates inputs to a video game console or other computer system based on certain movements and/or orientations of the controller. Such a controller can provide a more intuitive user interface in which, for example, movement of a video game object can be controlled by moving the controller in a particular manner. By way of illustration, a player may increase or decrease the altitude of a plane in a video game by tilting the controller up or down.
The accelerometer arrangement can be used to provide gaming experiences that cannot be provided easily (if at all) using a controller having cross-switches, joysticks, buttons, etc. This patent application describes a system and method which can be used to detect a moment of impact and/or a strength of a swing based on data from the accelerometer arrangement. The system and method can allow a player to, among other things, simulate the striking of an object by moving a controller. By way of example without limitation, a player can simulate the playing of drums by moving the controller as if it were a drumstick. Outputs of the accelerometer arrangement are used to determine the timing and the magnitude (intensity) of the striking of the drum, which can then be simulated using one or more of aural, visual and tactile outputs. For example, a speaker may be used to output the sound of a drum being struck and a display may show images of a drum being struck. Additionally or alternatively, the controller may include a vibration circuit that is activated to provide the player with a tactile sensation corresponding to the striking of the drum.
The system and method described in this patent application are not limited to simulating the playing of musical instruments and can also be applied, for example, to simulating the swinging of objects such as a sword by moving a controller.